TV Spartacus Andy Whitfield dies at 39

Actor Andy Whitfield dies at age 39 in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. The actor is best known for his role in the television series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”. In a statement, his wife, Vashti, said that the cause was a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Andy Whitfield is originally from Wales but lived in Australia; he was a relatively unknown actor until he was chosen to portray the gladiator who led the slaves against the Romans. The show was an instant hit with the fans after its debut in January; later in the year, in March, Whitfield took what was supposed to be a temporary leave of absence, but he never came back, never having gotten better.

Meanwhile, Spartacus: Blood and Sand had to use different actors to film a prequel to the series, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, while awaiting the actor’s return to the show. His successor, Liam McIntyre, took over for the second season. At the time, he said, “Andy’s such a wonderful actor. I don’t want to follow that guy, and everybody hurts that he’s had to give up the role, myself included.” The president and CEO of Starz Entertainment, the channel that airs Spartacus, said: “The man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.”

As Andy Whitfield dies at age 39, he leaves behind not only his wife, but a sister and two children.

Image By: Gage Skidmore

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